Rolling-over St Mirren easily tells you nothing about what will happen at the Camp Nou. As it is, we performed as well as any team in Europe would have last night. Inter Milan and Chelsea won the Champions League in 2010 and 2012 respectively after putting on a similar performance to Celtic in the most testing theatre in football.
The manager, players, supporters and everyone at the club deserve enormous credit for their part in this. Celtic’s achievement is all the more remarkable when you consider they live within their means, and this is not a dig at some former domestic rivalry, the most consistent trait of those currently regarded as uber-teams, including Barcelona, is a refusal to limit expenditure to match income over any business period. We can admire the art of this Barca team while looking forward to the day Financial Fair Play regulations inhibit their expenditure to the £200m-or-so a season more than Celtic’s income.
Barca will know they face a difficult task at Celtic Park in two weeks. Our goal came, as I predicted on Sunday, after a free kick inside the Barcelona half was dropped onto an elevated Celtic head inside the box. When the game is analysed I’m sure the coaches will conclude that we should have invited more challenges in similar areas – on the wing, circa 35 yards from goal. This is an easier area of the field to get possession in than the penalty box and, for Celtic, equally as dangerous.
Messi, Xavi and Iniesta got everything right for their first goal immediately before half time. The passing was fast, tight and each first touch was excellent, but this was a rarity. On all other occasions Celtic forced them into a pass which was too tight or too fast, or to simply make another safe pass and try again.
The second Barcelona goal was a consequence of defending too deep to press the cross. It was the kind of goal you lose in the 94th minute on a huge pitch.
Celtic successfully defended corner kicks zonally. For 70 minutes Barca took short corners, almost always to an unmarked player on the wing, Celtic didn’t mark this player all game, which brought a complaint from me every time, but they defended the zones the needed to inside the penalty area. Conceding possession outside the box looked like a conscious decision. Eventually Messi was reduced to pitching corners down the throat of the Celtic defence with predictable results.
There is still have a hard job ahead to qualify for the knock out stage or for the Europa League but we have gone toe-to-toe with every team in the group and have competed admirably with each – which was regarded as an objective as recently as last month. I’m enjoying my football this season.
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Mac jay..,
So is he lying about the trade of uranium then?
I actually doubt you care about truth when it comes to your preconceived notions of who is reliable.
We were not talking about Russia or America, but for some reason you want to go there to try and distract from the article under discussion.
Casting aspersions based on your own political agenda is not a new trick, I’m just a bit disappointed you think it will work.
So far you’ve dismissed out of hand, any chance the British might have treated Australia’s indigenous population abysmally.
And refuse to discuss the sale of uranium to a country that refuses to comply with the NPT.
Deflect and obfuscate, cast aspersions on the integrity of the journalist who dares report it, now where have we seen such tactics used, wait wait it’ll come to me.
Something that has been bugging me for a bit is “Who is The Singing Detective”?
After all,I’ve never met a Celtic fan with views like his.
However….
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-election/9631669/US-Election-Donald-Trump-offers-Barack-Obama-farcical-5m-deal.html
Let me know what you think,folks!
Good morning CQNers,
BMCW…..
It seems old sly Craigy boy isn’t the going to go quietly…… http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-20074388
I missed posting yesterday morning through as a result of some early celebrations, I hope we don’t regret those 15 seconds.
Still, all-in-all a performance to be justifiably proud of.
Bmcw,
The telegraph publishing unsubstantiated accusations tells me they don’t like Obama.
I thought I’d sobered up but it seems I still can’t construct a sentence,…sorry.
.
Just Googled..Speed up Your WiFi connection..
In their Wisdom instead of Text..its a Video..
It Keeps Buffering..:O))))
Feckin IT Geeks..
Summa of SlowTubeCSC
In fact, I’d have thought they might investigate why British people are being treated so badly in their own land on behalf of him, the documentary this week about trump and his development is real cause for concern, a few even on here don’t believe it was a fair report, a title like the telegraph should be interested in such a story, no ?
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS @ 0642
Fox News is America’s Daily Record
Good morning friends from a stubbornly dry and calm East Kilbride.
Murdochbhoy, yermanfromMK
You didn’t miss much-everyone was delighted at the performance though disappointed with the result,and gave the players and management team the credit and praise they deserve.
Apart of course from the occasional poster who had clearly backed the draw!
Morning All, a dark and cold morning here in Germany. We now see how good that Ajax side who beat us in pre-season were. Also, watching the Dortmund game, that Madrid are a class side but not in the same class as Barca. Finally, when did Dortmund steal YNWA with the scarves held aloft at kick-off?
CANAMALAR 0646
Aye,they certainly didn’t need to mention rumours of what Trump was going to allege.
Some of them are quite mind-boggling.
But The Telegraph’s not all bad-it can’t stand Cameron and Osborne,for instance……
Complete cross purposes.
I criticised Pilger as completely unreliable.That`s all .
He refers to uranium sales and to the Cold War, “Russia and America.”,as did I.
His spin on the Cuban missile crisis.Perfect example of his bias and spin.
He refers to Maralinga in the `50s when Britain carried out a nuclear test with the permission of the sovereign govt. of Australia.The Aussies were in charge,not the Brits.
As far as sales of uranium are concerned,I hold no particular view.
But,I tell you what,I would never place any credence on anything he has to say on the
matter.
Integrity and Pilger? Strange bedfellows.
Which takes us to Assange .
Summa
Glad you’re on
What’s the SP with the Greek ghod’s injury
Missing presumed working yesterday …huvnae caught up yet
Bmcw,
It can’t stand them because they are not destroying the social infrastructure fast enough
MURDOCHBHOY,YERMAN FROM MK
Fox News gets a bad press-sorry-but it does seem to deserve it.
Not so much a news channel as a right-wing fundamentalist op-ed piece.
Fortunately,it seems now to be on the way to being a parody of itself.
Fassreifen
Imitation is the biggest form of flattery ….
That’s was a new one for me too
With that and JCGE. ….we’re the trend setters
Just waiting until someone does their own version in COYBIG
BMCUWP
FOX NEWS ….
What it would be like if the Daily Mail had a TV channel ..appalling
CANAMALAR
I didn’t see the Trump documentary but I read all about the case as it progressed.
It’s not on the same scale as Chinese authorities bulldozing people’s homes,but the principle is the same.
Money talks-or shouts,rather,as Dylan pointed out.
PF AYR 0712
That’s not fair-just off a nightshift and about to hit my cot,and you come out with the stuff of nightmares!
First pint of Guinness I buy you is gonna be a pint of light,buddy…….
.
PF Ayr..
Celtic striker Samaras cut a disconsolate figure as he jetted back into Glasgow yesterday in the early hours of the morning.
The striker had a scan after he badly twisted his left ankle in the first half of Tuesday’s game, although there was no official word from the club on how long the Greek is likely to be out for.
The striker sustained ligament and muscle damage and travelled home wearing a protective plastic boot to avoid any further damage.
Celtic will be praying the striker can recover to play a role in Europe again before Christmas, having netted in four consecutive away games this season for the Hoops.
Summa
BMCUWP
I had worse hardships….:-))
Coco Pops or Coco Munchers?
MWD
.
Right since it’s Friday and I’m in a Guid Mood..
Sevco Need a New Champions League theme Tune.. since the Wont hear the Official one for a While..
I’ll go First with: The Three Degrees..
“When will l See You Again”
Summa of SevcoTunesCSC
Macjay..,
Where establishment spin and lies should always be accepted with a tug of the forelock.
His analogy with the Cuba is simply pointing out the same strategy being used today as then.
Who introduced nuclear weapons to turkey and why ?
Summa
That’s pal
Ankle injuries are strange things .. Innocuous twists can have you out for months and dreadful sprains can repair in a couple of weeks …I had a few during my rugby career ..thankfully always the later
Hope to see the big man back soon
We were right all along re his god like status
The rest kent here haw
Nice chatting …off to work
HH
Summa
Friday?
MWD
.
Carpenters: ‘We’ve Only Just begun”
Summa
Bmcw,
Difference being, Britain is supposed to be a democracy were citizens rights are protected.
The docu showed trumps team acting illegally under the protection of the police and the Scottish govt.
Salmon seem to jump from pocket to pocket, Murdoch now trump truly a man of integrity exactly what Scotland needs to lead
Morning,
The Herald follows yesterdays scathing and bitter articles with some grudging praise today. All be it they warm their hearts with the thought we can still finish bottom of the group.
Stupid, hurting zombies
summa of sammi….
05:48 on 25 October, 2012
.
ProudBhoy..
Should be on SBS again..Try their website or The World GameSBS.com.au they give you upcoming Games weeks in Advance..
Summa
Cheers
Are u in melbourne ?
Mate of mine headin next week, you know which of the irish bars would be best for music etc thinking hes planning sunday sesh in one in between nightclubs/horse racing.
Staying in st kilda if that helps.
.
Moonbeams..
Feck..Ooops..
If it WAS Friday..I Should be on Holiday..(Again)..Accch it’s Raining seems like a Friday..:O)
Summa of GoodFridayAgreementsCSC
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
06:38 on 25 October, 2012
Mac jay..,
So is he lying about the trade of uranium then?
Where did I suggest that?
We were not talking about Russia or America, but for some reason you want to go there to try and distract from the article under discussion.
No,but Pilger does in the article you posted.Perfect example of his spin.
So far you’ve dismissed out of hand, any chance the British might have treated Australia’s indigenous population abysmally.
No I haven`t.Australia was a sovereign and independent country at the time of Maralinga.
And refuse to discuss the sale of uranium to a country that refuses to comply with the NPT.
Non proliferation? Last time I looked,the genie was out of the bottle.
I actually doubt you care about truth when it comes to your preconceived notions of who is reliable.
Predictable.Let`s not discuss issues and principles and reliable journalism.
Let`s get personal.
.
ProudBhoy..
Pint on Punt St Kilda for Celtic games..
PJ O’Brien’s Southbank for Sunday Avro Sesh..
Quiet Man..
.
Ooops..
Quiet Man..Flemington for Irish Music great Guiness..
Summa
Ps..FacebooK Pat McKernan and Go see Him..Guid Lad
Some papers saying Samaras will only miss Barca game.
We will need him for the away game at Benfica.
.
Ooops Ooops..
Pat is Your Guid Irish Music..Ha
Summa of OooppsCSC
Macjay…,
You have no intention of discussing reliable journalism, that’s obvious from your refusal to accept Pilger is making good points.
You’re very naive if you honestly believe the British did not control all aspects of the testing.
If its out the bottle then there should be no problem allowing anyone why wants, build their own bomb eh, is not having a view the same as no caring ?